Kizil Caves: Heavenly Musicians

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

These two statues, discovered in the Kizil Caves, were removed by a team of German explorers in the early 20th century. They are rather small, 11 cm in height, and are depicted as heavenly musicians playing musical instruments.
The heavenly musician playing the drum wears a headdress, with suspended ribbons that wrap around the arms. The bared upper body is adorned with a necklace and the lower half is turned to one side. The left arm grips the drum while the right arm is raised. Despite the missing hand, it is believed to have been in the action of beating the drum.
The heavenly musician playing the harp wears a simple headdress with a single strip of ribbon that floats down to drape over the arm. The figure’s hand is placed upon the strings as if plucking the instrument.